Bathtub Bride’s Suspected Killer on the Run, Maserati Found

The manhunt for a Chicago man suspected of killing his wife on their wedding night and leaving her in a blood-soaked bathtub may be headed to Mexico.

Burbank, Ill., police have been on the trail of Humberto “Betito” Jimenez since they found his newlywed bride, Estrella Carrera, dead in her bathtub, still wearing her wedding dress, on May 13.

The couple had married in a civil ceremony and then headed to dinner and a nightclub with friends, according to police.

Jimenez had then taken off in a black Maserati that police had not been able to find.

Last week, a Drug Enforcement Agency-led sweep of suspected criminals in the Chicago area yielded the Maserati, which had blood stains and other evidence inside, according to Burbank police Capt. Joseph Ford.

The DEA was arresting two of Jimenez’s brothers in connection with drug offenses during the sweep, Ford said.

“We’ve been working with the feds due to the parallel of cases since our victim was murdered,” Ford said. “We became aware of this drug investigation when our case broke, and we kept in communique with them, sharing information back and forth, and when they were ready to do this round-up we wanted to be part of it.”

The fact that the 2006 black Maserati was at the brothers’ house was “a bonus,” he said.

Ford said that the police are now “dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s” in building a case against Jimenez. The Burbank police believe it’s possible that he is in Mexico, but now that federal agents are involved they are hoping to find him wherever he is.

“We’re still following leads, but there is a very good likelihood that he’s there and feels safe there,” Ford said. ”We have feet on the ground there, especially in Duragno, and the feds are on this case.

“We hope to put handcuffs on him,” he said.

Two of Jimenez’s brothers have drug-related rap sheets, including drug trafficking convictions.

“Obviously, he’s getting assistance from some family members,” F0rd told the Chicago Tribune. “We’re sort of tying their hands here in the Chicagoland area now. There’s pressure on the family.”

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to Jimenez’s arrest.